| Publication: | The Australian |
|---|---|
| Date: | 18 August 2009 |
| Section: | Business Breaking News |
Siobhain Ryan | August 18, 2009
Article excerpt:
CANBERRA will use new figures showing continued growth in private hospital membership to counter the opposition's bid this week to block $1.8billion in budget cuts to the health insurance rebate in the Senate.
The data, to be released today by the Private Health Insurance Administration Council (PHIAC), is expected to show an extra 43,125 people took up hospital cover in the June quarter, pushing nationwide membership to 9.75million.
Federal Health Minister Nicola Roxon said the statistics underlined the Coalition's fiscal irresponsibility in opposing the key budget savings measure.
"Last year, (opposition health spokesman) Peter Dutton claimed that a million people would leave private health funds," Ms Roxon said.
"What actually happened was more than 210,000 more people have joined private health funds in the past year."
